Hot on the heels of a high-profile child sexual exploitation case, the Island’s first charity devoted to the issue launched its programme for certification in spotting, preventing and dealing with child sex abuse. “For us, this case is a tragedy,” said Jon Brunson, vice president of SCARS (Saving Children and Revealing Secrets), referring to the recent suspended sentence of Joshua Crockwe... Read more

A group of women held a 12-hour stitching marathon yesterday to make a point about child sexual abuse. Members of the Bermuda Guild of Stitchery celebrated their 16th anniversary by holding the fundraising event for the charity SCARS (Saving Children and Revealing Secrets). The women collected donations and gathered at their meeting place at the First Baptist Church, Devonshire, from 9am to ... Read more

A firefighter who got a 12-year-old girl to perform a sex act on him when he was 20 years old was spared a jail sentence yesterday. Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo said Joshua Crockwell “ought to have known that she was off limits. You were old enough to know that.” However, he said it was a case where the defendant did not “prey” on the victim and “this young girl had to be protected f... Read more

A charity set up to protect children has urged schools and youth clubs to ensure they have effective policies to prevent abuse. SCARS says every establishment that children attend should have a framework of policies aimed at minimizing the risk of child sexual abuse. The charity, which stands for Saving Children and Revealing Secrets, was formed last October by Debi Ray-Rivers and Jon Brunso... Read more

A man who sexually abused a young boy and hoarded almost 3,500 child pornography images has been jailed for ten years. Dennis Eldridge, 47, was caught out when the victim, who became physically sick with stress, told his parents of the abuse. The child reported that Eldridge abused him over the course of several years when Eldridge visited his home. He was also abused when his family visited... Read more

Bermuda’s first charity aimed specifically at child sexual abuse is celebrating its official approval by going live on the Internet and courting supporters at this wek’s Bermuda Marathon Weekend road races. “We are here, we are watching, and we’re going to get the word out,” warned SCARS president and founder Debi-Ray Rivers, who said that sex offenders in Bermuda will be left with �... Read more